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Republicans are famous for doing this, but one difference in this case was the offended constituency. Democrats were not afraid blacks would deluge the media with righteous howls of protest. But Republicans, even conservative Republicans, are deathly afraid of pro-abortion feminists. As the Bible says, “It is better to sit on the corner of the roof than to dwell with a contentious woman” (Proverbs 21:9), and liberal women excel at being all that.

After he misspoke, Biden ran home to hide. Akin manned up and apologized:

It was a good apology for the inexplicable mistake of straying from pro-life talking points on the rape/incest exception. That topic shouldn’t really take any of us off-guard, but particularly a U.S. senate candidate. As Dana Loesch tweeted, “I’m used to Republicans screwing us over [but] you don’t go into a national senate race unprepared. Period.”

In other words, “legitimate” is not part of our lexicon. Nor is wandering into the weeds about women’s bodies rejecting pregnancy by rape, whether or not it is true.

Our talking points are simple. We affirm: 1) the unspeakable trauma of being raped, but 2) nevertheless, abortion hurts women, and 3) the innocent baby is not responsible for his/her father’s crime – all as concisely put by the American Life League (HT: Matt Abbott):

The trauma of sexual assault is very real, and there is no intention here to downplay that. Abortion carries its own variety of trauma, however; women – even those who were victims of sexual assault – have reported years of physical, emotional and psychological difficulty following their abortions. Abortion did not solve their problem; it merely created additional ones.

There is also the very important fact that abortion takes the life of a living human being. The circumstances of conception may have been criminal, but the life of the newly-created human being is just as valuable as any other person’s. We do not put criminals’ innocent children to death in our culture; it simply isn’t done. It should not be done in this situa tion, either.

Now, despite great pressure, Akin has decided to stay in the race. A few thoughts.

Foremost, as Erick Erickson wrote at RedState.com two days ago (before concluding Akin should drop), Akin is a hero:

The hyperbole from the left over Todd Akin has been disgusting. The man truly believes that children who are conceived out of rape should not be killed. The Bible teaches us that God raised us up from the dust of the earth and stitched us together in our mothers’ wombs.

When you believe that, as Congressman Akin does, then it is asking much to tear apart what God has stitched together.

Congressman Akin said something dumb and inarticulate. But God bless him for trying to explain why so many Christians do not believe in an exception for rape and believe that to have one could see an increase in the number of claims of rape that are not actual rapes (“legitimate” rapes in his words), but are claims of rape used to justify an abortion when abortion is otherwise prohibited.

It is truly unfortunate that Akin showed such political naiveté, but who among us hasn’t had a macaca moment? It’s ridiculously over-reactive to tell Akin to give up his hard-earned senate endeavor for this unfortunate comment, particularly since pro-life Americans own the majority. It’s as if no one knows it.

This debacle is just another reminder that pro-lifers fight a unique, two-front war. Rather than circle the wagons and stand united when controversy arises around the abortion issue, Republican elites run from it rather than do what Democrats do – only yell louder.

Republican elites don’t want to deal with abortion, while their counterparts relish such conversations. It doesn’t matter how many times we tell Republicans life is a winning issue, they are uncomfortable with it, if not themselves pro-abortion. They cannot conquer a fear exacerbated by the liberal media that women will somehow be offended by pro-life talk.

Rather than blink and run, Republican elites should be turning the question around, as Rush said yesterday on his show, asking reporters whether they know Obama supports infanticide. National Right to Life has a good media advisory in this area, “Mainstream news media again subjects Republican pro-life positions to hyper-scrutiny and extrapolation, while ignoring President Obama’s positions on current legislation on late abortions and abortion for sex selection.”

There are any number of questions Republicans could raise to turn the tables. Do reporters know Planned Parenthood has been prosecuted in several states for failing to report child rape? Do they know PP has also been caught in a multi-state sting offering to help a pimp get underage abortions?

The proper response to this PR crisis would have been for Republican leaders to quickly organize a call with pro-life leaders to plan a united front and gather talking points. You know that is what Democrats would have done.

Rather, by abandoning Akin Republicans have invited scrutiny of themselves – their votes, their platform. (Jim Bopp, seriously?) In the end, it is the Republican establishment that is to blame for fanning the flames and for turning on pro-lifers – once again, as usual.

Pro-lifers must demand Republican leadership stand by us in times like this, just as their counterparts would.

Pro-lifers must now also give to Akin’s campaign, since the establishment has abandoned him. I like reading articles about our continued loyalty to him, like this and this. He’s asking for $3 apiece. Give more if you can.

Throughout history there have been lots of heroes. But only one of them was perfect.

[Photo of Akin via the Washington Post]

Reprinted with permission from JillStanek.com

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